“We haven’t been a good first-half team all year,” said Harvard coach Tommy Amaker.

“This time, we weren’t a very good team the whole game.

“But can we do better? Absolutely.

“They outshot us and outdefended us. We didn’t have the answers.”

Harvard had beaten Columbia seven straight times over the past four years — but this one was destined to be different.

Originally scheduled for a 7 p.m. Saturday tipoff, the game was pushed back 19 hours by the snowstorm that blanketed the Northeast.

Columbia rode a 20-point first half by sophomore guard Steve Frankoski to a 38-34 lead at the break, and maintained a relentless pace in the second half, as the fans heaped down “over-rated, over-rated” commentary on the Crimson.

As the outcome became clear, they reminded everyone on the premises, “This is our house.”

The gap went as wide as 73-53 and then 75-55 with just under three minutes left before Harvard made any dent in the margin.

Frankoski — standing a slender 6 feet 2 inches and the only player on the court wearing long black socks — totaled 27 points and seemed an unlikely leading Lion.